More than 10 years after it was built, Forté by Lendlease continues to be the showpiece project that kicked off high rise mass timber residential construction in Australia.

At 10 storeys high, the 32-metre Forté was – at that time – the tallest timber residential building in the world, and Australia’s first cross laminated timber (CLT) construction. Located in Melbourne’s Victoria Harbour, the CLT building's design was led by Andrew Nieland, Lendlease’s then head of timber solutions. Built in 2012, Forté features 23 apartments with net living areas of 59m², 80m² and 102m², and retail on the ground floor. Every apartment at Forté has a dual aspect design to maximise sunlight and natural ventilation.

While Lendlease led the design, development and construction, the timber engineering was completed by KLH. According to Nieland, Lendlease spent over three years conducting detailed due diligence on CLT from both technical and commercial perspectives as part of Forté’s development.

KLH processed European spruce into CLT, and shipped the panels to Australia in flat-pack style, complete with the angle brackets and screws required for assembly. “With dimensionally accurate elements, already measured and approved by an external quality representative at the KLH Massivholz GMBH plant, it was possible to guarantee a high level of safety on the construction site. In contrast to the traditional solid construction, the construction time was reduced by more than 30%, the completion was 4 months earlier than planned,” KLH says.

The Forté project was a pioneer in sustainable construction in Australia in several respects, unlocking the many benefits of CLT for the broader industry.

“Designed and produced in a factory environment, Forté was 30% faster to build, as well as being safer and with higher precision than traditional construction materials. By using CLT, Forté reduced CO2 equivalent emissions by more than 1,400 tonnes when compared to concrete and steel – the equivalent of removing over 345 cars from our roads for a year,” Nieland said.

“Forté is built on the principle that what’s good for the environment is good for the resident too. CLT offers better thermal performance and requires less energy to heat and cool. Overall, the smart design elements in Forté reduce energy and water costs by around $300 per year or up to 25% less than a typical code-compliant apartment,” he adds.

Forté won the 2014 Australian Property Institute award for Environmental Excellence at the Victorian Excellence in Property Awards. The building was acknowledged for its excellence in innovation, and environmental sustainability as only the second apartment building in Australia to achieve a 5 Star Green Star As-Built rating by the Green Building Council of Australia.

Images by Emma Cross Photographer (Source: KLH)

Branko Miletic

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